San Bruno presses PUC to force PG&E to produce more accurate records

By George AvalosOakland Tribune

Posted:
07/23/2014 03:54:20 PM PDT

Updated:
07/23/2014 04:00:29 PM PDT

SAN BRUNO -- In a filing that ultimately could force PG&E to reduce pressure in some of its natural gas lines, San Bruno city officials and a key unit with a powerful state agency this week demanded that California regulators require the utility to produce improved records for multiple gas pipelines.

"The public's interest in safety is not being adequately met," Connie Jackson, San Bruno city manager, said Wednesday.

The regulatory filing with the state Public Utilities Commission is the latest development in a lengthy battle over the safe operation of PG&E's natural gas system and comes nearly four years after a fatal pipeline explosion in San Bruno that killed eight people and leveled part of a residential neighborhood.

"It is possible the pressure on one or more of the lines would have to be reduced," Jackson said. "PG&E must produce records that can be verifiable and traceable."

Investigators have determined that PG&E's poor record keeping and faulty maintenance were prime contributors to the 2010 blast.

San Francisco-based PG&E has maintained that its tests with water under high pressure have determined that the pipelines are safe to operate. But that's not enough, according to the July 21 filing from the city and the Office of Ratepayer Advocates.

"A pressure test is not a substitute for accurate records," the filing stated. "Both state and federal laws and regulations require accurate records to operate and maintain a gas transmission system safely over time."

Advertisement

The city and the consumer unit want the PUC to order PG&E to develop a reliable system for managing records.

In a ruling last year, PUC administrative law judge Maribeth Bushey recommended to the PUC that the line beneath San Carlos could be operated safely at the higher pressure requested by PG&E.

"We find that PG&E has made great strides to improve its natural gas system records management," Bushey wrote in her ruling. She added, however, that "An ongoing commitment to continuous improvement is needed to identify and correct remaining errors."

The full PUC eventually agreed with the law judge's ruling and allowed the line beneath San Carlos to be operated at full pressure. Meanwhile, the city of San Carlos recently agreed with the restoration of the higher pressure.

"A leading pipeline safety expert testified that these lines continue to be safe to operate," said Greg Snapper, a PG&E spokesman.

San Bruno's fresh push for improved records from PG&E comes amid an ongoing criminal proceeding that could produce new felony charges against the utility. In a separate proceeding, the PUC is evaluating whether to impose on PG&E fines and penalties that could reach $2 billion.

"San Bruno is completely justified in seeking a new hearing about the pressure in the gas pipelines," said state Sen. Jerry Hill, a Democrat whose San Mateo County-area district includes San Bruno and San Carlos.

"You cannot have any confidence that the PUC is doing its job of regulating PG&E, and it is questionable that PG&E can do its job properly," Hill said. "PG&E has made mistakes in record keeping, its testing, and its training."